If you're using kill orders, try move orders instead. Kill orders were a bit buggy in past versions, and I don't know if they've been fixed yet.
If you're already using move orders, I'm not sure what the problem is.
Kill single target order seems much more reliable than "kill in rectangle" or "kill multiple from list".
I have trapped some goblins and trolls, and they have been carried to my Animals pile. How to I kill them and "liberate" their equipment?
I also have some wild animals (mainly lizards) that have been caught and caged there. Can I butcher them for meat and skins? If so, how?
Build creature's cage, build lever, inside lever link it to the cage, pull lever to release cage's creature.
MIGHTY BORING for 40 enemies.Faster way: while traders are present, try to haul that cage to depot, creature gets out and meets your squad that is standing by.
Third way: build precarious floors over a big drop, install cages there, deconstruct some floor, rest of floor falls X levels down, splat. Easily do 12-30 creatures at a time.
Fourth way: Warlord's Bonfire Mod (
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=58806.0 ), install cages in grassy area, set fire to grass using bonfire workshop.
Fifth way: make a pit zone, assign creature to the pit, might work, they might get shoved down the pit.
http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Activity_zone#Pit.2FPondhttp://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Cagehttp://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Captured_creatures